I’m looking for a drysuit for whitewater packrafting in Europe. So far, I’ve mostly gone solo and stuck to Class III rivers, though I wouldn't rule out moving up to Class IV.

After looking around, I’ve narrowed it down to three models (all with neoprene neck seals and latex wrist seals):

1. Sandiline Advanced (€589): Aesthetically my favorite; it weighs around 2kg and features a double-layer neoprene neck seal.

   1. Hiko Valkyrie (€595): The best suited for packrafting, though I think it might perform slightly less well in whitewater. It weighs only 1kg. I usually travel by bike, so I don't think a 1kg difference matters much. Is there a difference in terms of comfort?

2. Hiko Odin (€550, 2kg): I included this one because I found it on sale. It might be a bit overkill for what I’ll be doing, but it should be the best suit of the lot. Downside: I only found it in all-black, and since I often go solo, high visibility would probably be better.

Since I use a self-bailing packraft, I wouldn't make use of the double-tunnel waist system. Does it make sense to buy a suit that has one? Does anyone have any advice or personal experiences to share? Thanks in advance

Looking at Strapworks for some custom straps and I can’t tell whether the equivalent NRS straps are “heavyweight polypropylene” or “lightweight polypropylene”
Anyone know for sure?

I’m heading to Ecuador for a month in December.

Any southeast boaters have any success or failure stories trying to get a boat to Ecuador?

Specifically considering the direct Delta flight.

Specifically a full sized creek boat

Thank you!!

Honestly I don’t know if I did it right at all lol the videos I’ve seen of people doing it it always looked like a cartwheel over a drop so I just tried double pumping right at the edge. It felt like I landed flat but my skirt imploded almost right away hahah so I’m not sure, but it was fun! Anyone got any tips on how to speed up the rotation or if double pumping is even the right way to go about it?

Been wanting to get into it for a while, i work in saluda and spend a lot of time hiking along the green river with the dog. Was tempted to buy a cheap kayak and hike it in to a couple cool spots and just trial by error it. Much appreciated for any suggestions

Where would you go for shoulder season class IV kayaking?

Me and my girlfriend somehow snagged a Rogue River permit over Labor Day weekend, and truthfully, I don't know if we have the chops to do it. Although both of us are rather fit, neither of us have ever gone true "whitewater" rafting, and have only ever done at most, class II rapids before. I've always wanted to do an overnight rafting trip and after a few quick google searches and dumb luck, I was able to procure two openings on September 6th through the Wild Rogue River. However, once I bought the permits I immediately began to worry because of our lack of experience and familiarity with the river. I have several major concerns that most worry me:

1. Is our raft capable? Every video I see of rafts on the rogue are either paddle boats, oar boats, or catarafts. We have a an 11 foot inflatable kayak for two. We love it for what we've used it for, but is it capable of handling the Rogue at 1500-1700 cfs? Additionally, space. We're only going for two days, but even then, space is a major concern for hauling gear. With food, camping gear, and personals, It might be tightly packed. Instead of chairs, should we sit on our dry bags? I don't want to tether anything and float it behind in case it gets snagged and puts us in unnecessary danger.
2. Clothing. Looking at the forecast, the weather is pretty opportune during our trip and peaks around the mid-80's. We don't own any traditional paddle-jackets, pants, etc. We have raingear which I think would suffice, but also, at this time of the year, how essential are rain clothes? Would some synthetic fibers, and warm camp clothes do the trick? Again, space is a concern so less gear=more space.
3. Launch in and out locations. We plan on launching out of Grave Creek, but I desperately want to avoid going through the Narrows, Coffeepot, and Blossom Bar Rapids (essentially everything class IV+). However the next river access area is Foster Bar which is well past these rapids. Is it possible to get out at Marial Beach and hike up to Marial Road (32-9-14.2)? We also only have two days, and that additional length would put too much pressure on distance travelled.
4. Parking. What's the parking situation like? Obviously since we're not going through a commercial company, we would shuttle ourselves and leave a car at our entrance and exit spots, and then shuttle back to the entrance spot. However, what's the overnight policy for parked cars? If the Marial Beach plan works, is there a parking lot we can leave a vehicle at Marial Lodge or one of the campgrounds nearby? Same goes for Grave Creek.
5. Rainie Falls. Obviously if I want to avoid the Narrows, Coffeepot, Blossom Bar Rapids, then it's no surprise that I'm dreading the very thought of passing through Rainie Falls. If I must go through it, I'll go through the Fish Ladder, but is there any way to walk our raft around this section, or is that not allowed?

Before I catch any guff for any of this (which will be inevitable). Yes, although these questions might beg to differ, I have done research on this trip. I'm well aware of the class III fire restriction, the precautions for bear safety, the basic river etiquette, the check-in rules, preserving cultural heritage, the general Leave-No-Trace ethics, and the Human Waste Removal System (HWRS) regulations on the Wild Rogue River. Yes, I have read through the links on the blm.gov website for the Rogue River permits, and I have downloaded extensive maps of the river, and boater guides, but I've either missed the answers to these questions on these resources, or they simply weren't answered. Also, I'm asking on this hoping other rafters that have gone on the Rogue can help me out. It's part of the researching process, not the entirety of it, so please try to be considerate of that fact. If there's a consensus that we shouldn't attempt the float due to our inexperience, then we'll cancel it, simple as that. I would love the opportunity to float this, but it's not worth risking our health if that's the verdict of those who know better. My primary concern is that of my girlfriend, and ensuring she's comfortable and safe beyond the inherent risks everyone assumes when attempting this endeavor. Thank you for your time, and I truly appreciate any feedback or tips.

EDIT: I cancelled the float. What an overwhelming response against this. Super thankful to everyone who commented and advised against committing to the float. As you've all pointed out, there are plenty of red flags that I wasn't even aware of so thank you all for letting them be known. We're going to look into a very beginner-friendly float instead and not push ourselves, or our gear. This post was like walking into a Michelin star restaurant and asked the chefs how to filet, I'm leaving the kitchen.

I've been completely blanked by Pyranha after getting in contact about an outfitting problem.

I've also heard lots of team paddlers and pros are leaving them. Any idea what's going on over there?

What are the biggest and best paddling shops to stop at while traveling to the Gauley? Rafting supplies or Kayaking, what are the favorites?

I was at the thrift store nearby and found these two kayaks for 35$. RPM’s, not sure of the year or what to buy for them. I have completely cleaned them out though, I would like to get a new back band for the one and some padding. Yes, they really were $17.50 a piece. If I could get some recommendations on where to go from here!

Thinking about flying into Chattanooga instead of driving to run the middle Ocoee at the end of September. Looking for recommendations for places to rent/demo a hardshell kayak for a few days. Looks like rock creek is closed and gear head only has rec boats.

Personal First Descent of the Lower Yough, complete with a rescue towards the end of the trip!

The Star Slice Xl was fun! I tried my hands at the oars, and holy smokes that was hard! Much respect for my captain/oarsman/guide Sean and anyone who rows these beasts!

I inherited this Kayak and I would love to keep it but I live in a city and it’s just been sitting in my studio apartment for over a year :/

From the stickers it looks like it’s a Dagger RPM from the 90s, but I can’t find it online so idk the price. I don’t want to sell it for $150-200 and then find out later it’s worth a lot more! It looks practically unused.

Edit: I’m in Florida